Elizabeth Banks has launched a digital search for comical creators to help create marketing collateral for “Pitch Perfect 3.” Banks’ WhoHaha female-focused internet comedy site has teamed with Universal Pictures on “Go Pitch Yourself,” a contest soliciting video submissions from digital creators who are aficionados of the “Pitch Perfect” franchise. This spring, five grand-prize winners will be flown to L.A. on an all-expenses-paid trip where they’ll participate in a weeklong “Digital Content Lab” about filmmaking and digital content strategy, with sessions led by Banks and execs from Universal and WhoHaha.
During the lab, the winners will produce a video with Banks tying into the “Pitch Perfect 3” marketing campaign — and, the studio says, those might be included with the Blu-ray and DVD releases of the film.
“Being a content creator is more than just finding views,” Banks said in announcing the initiative. “With ‘Go Pitch Yourself,’ we’re looking to collaborate with funny fans who could embrace a spotlight, tell their unique stories, and are eager to take their craft to the next level.”
The contest, similar to those Universal has run for “Sing” and other films, is designed to yield a crop of fan-generated content as a relatively low-cost bid to build buzz for “Pitch Perfect 3,” slated to bow in theaters Dec. 22, 2017.
To enter the “Go Pitch Yourself” contest, open from Jan. 5 to Feb. 16, candidates must submit a video of impressions, characters or other comedy talents of up to 90 seconds in length. Submissions will be reviewed by tracking posts with the hashtags #PitchPerfect3 and #GoPitchYourself across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube. The “Go Pitch Yourself” contest is open to residents in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada. The entries will be reviewed by a panel of digital-media executives, including Banks, with winners to be announced by April 1.
